You dont realize how amazing the singers were in victorious until you have to watch hollywood arts and realize none of them compare.

Forget ariana grande and liz gillies who were just too good to ignore, but the new tori for hollywood arts just doesnt compare to victoria justice.

When tori performed at the showcase it was like, oh wait shes actually really good. But now its like ehh, shes okay when it comes to the new girl in hollywood arts.

This show has a lot if fun nuisances despite the over acting but the talent just isnt really comparing to any degree.

Victorious songs had you replaying them because they were so good, but hollywood arts has a lot to be desired when it comes to the singing.

Just finished the first few episodes of Victorious’ spinoff series: Hollywood arts and to be frank, it’s terrible. I didn’t have high hopes for it but went in with an open mind and immediately I was hit with an hour of nostalgia bating and content that would appeal more to brainrotted kids that need the cocomelon-style stimulation to stay alive. Many elements that should have stayed: The Slap, Pear phones, the large and detailed sets have been removed, creating that sense of forced familiarity, while still somehow managing to half heartedly pay homage the original comedic style that relied on absurd scenarios. The cast is incredibly talented and passionate about this project which makes it especially sad to see such poor execution. Unfortunately, this show seems not to be for the audience that actually watched Victorious, but for the audience that was born after it finished airing, which is something we all must make peace with. More comments coming soon once I finish the 1st season and can give a well rounded review.

I was so excited for Hollywood Arts, even after the trailers didn’t seem so promising. I don’t even think I’m going to get past the first episode, here’s why.

The whole vibe of the show is completely incomparable to Victorious. I at least expected a spin-off/sequel series to have a similar style, but if you took away the set you wouldn’t be able to tell that it was even in the same universe. I understand they had to target to a younger audience, but the og show stayed within their TV-G guidelines so I see no reason for that immediately recognizable disconnect in atmosphere. The script is so typically and modernly cringey. If anyone remembers The Thundermans, it almost feels like that, which was/is not bad at all if that fits the vibe, but for a continuation of VICTORIOUS there’s no way that you can tell me that makes sense. This was disappointing because the one thing I had hope for was the writers not taking it in that direction. Victorious was cool and edgy, especially in the beginning. Given that was the source material, it makes me question if they just let anyone write Netflix shows. I think they should all be fired.

Another thing that threw me off is the main cast. What made the original show so compelling was that it was overflowing with STYLE. WHY IS THERE NO STYLE IN THIS SHOW. The actors seem like good people, I’m happy for them, and they worked with what they got, but there’s no range. They all act with that stereotypical dumbness that you would see in a drama-short ad. I couldn’t tell you the personality of any of the characters after watching the first ep, except that Jen seems like Jade if she went on to become Miss Rachel. Also, there was a vibe amongst everyone in the Victorious main cast that made it very believable that any one of them could go on to become a “star.” They were attractive, talented, and they knew who they were. I don’t feel that with this show in the slightest, and they all lack that cool Hollywood aesthetic that I was in awe over as a kid.

Talent-wise it is laughable, especially when you think about how Liz and Ariana were casted fresh off of Broadway. None of them hold a torch even to Robbie’s vocals, which says a lot. I actually couldn’t believe what I was hearing when every one of them were singing, both the production and the vocals are terrible (better than me for sure but not good enough for something like this). It sounds like they recorded the songs on Smule and threw them straight into the show. The songs are typical emotionless TikTok pop, so to be expected but I was still disappointed.

Some of these issues aren’t exclusive to this show, as I feel like everything has gone downhill since the 2010’s, but this is an abomination to the Victorious name. As much of a disgusting person Schneider is, he sure knew how to write a show, so we should’ve let it die with his name (or at least let someone with a brain write it???)

Would love to know anyone else thoughts, and just know I’m criticizing with love and my opinion obviously doesn’t matter whatsoever, just what I was thinking after watching lmao

I can see her making it big after this show

It's unrelated to the actual plot but Daniella has SUCH an amazing wardrobe. The heels, the skirts. She looks fabulous and has hardly aged since Victorious!

“Me and this frenemy who went to Hollywood Arts were after the same role. She had the hottest boyfriend. Actually, you kinda remind me of this girl. She loved scissors.” What do you guys think Jade is doing with her career now?

I just finished watching the first 12 episodes of Hollywood Arts, and honestly, I went into this expecting it to be cringey. Let’s be real: with the number of disappointing reboots, revivals, and spin-offs we’ve gotten in recent years, it’s hard not to approach another one with a healthy dose of skepticism. Surprisingly, though, Hollywood Arts has been pretty serviceable so far. It’s not without its flaws, but there’s enough here to make it an enjoyable watch.

Trina Vega carried this show, and I will die on that hill.

Her mannerisms, antics, and overall characterisation feel so natural that it’s almost as if she never left the original series. What makes Trina work isn’t just the nostalgia factor; it’s that her character still feels distinctly Trina. She doesn’t come across as a watered-down version of herself or a character who’s been brought back solely for fan service. She brings the same chaotic energy that made her memorable in Victorious, and honestly, the show benefits tremendously from her presence.

I also appreciate the callbacks to iconic Victorious moments and references, such as Karaoke Dokie, the Pear Phone, Tori’s locker, the Lockout episode, and the Big Showcase. These references feel like little rewards for longtime fans without making the entire series dependent on nostalgia. That’s precisely how you incorporate callbacks into a spin-off: respect the original show’s legacy while giving the new series room to establish its own identity.

The new cast deserves credit, too.

Oscar and Jen are the two newcomers who stood out to me the most. They have that exaggerated, expressive, almost cartoonish approach to comedy that made so much of Nickelodeon’s classic sitcom acting memorable. Their performances don’t feel like they’re trying too hard to imitate the original cast; rather, they capture the spirit of that era of Nickelodeon television. They’re expressive, committed to the absurdity, and willing to go all out with their characters. For me, they understand the assignment.

As for Emmy, I think she’s been okay as the lead, but I was hoping she’d hold her own a little more against the rest of the cast. At times, she fades into the background, which is particularly noticeable when the supporting characters have such strong and distinctive personalities. This isn’t necessarily a knock on her acting abilities, but I do think the show needs to give its lead more opportunities to stand out. When your supporting cast consistently commands more attention than your protagonist, that’s something worth addressing.

My biggest criticism, however, is the show’s Disney coded storytelling.

A lot of the storylines revolve around working together, supporting one another, and chasing your dreams. There’s nothing inherently wrong with those themes, but the execution sometimes feels a little too polished and formulaic. One of the things that made Victorious stand out was its willingness to embrace weirdness, absurdity, and characters who weren’t always trying to teach the audience a lesson. I would’ve liked Hollywood Arts to lean further into that unconventional energy instead of occasionally feeling like a Disney Channel sitcom wearing a Nickelodeon costume.

I’m also a little disappointed by the use of existing pop songs. I would’ve preferred the series to stick more closely to original songs, which were such an integral part of Victorious. The original music wasn’t just filler between scenes; it helped establish the show’s identity and gave its musical performances a personality of their own. Using familiar pop songs isn’t automatically a bad decision, but I think original music would’ve done more to distinguish Hollywood Arts from other teen sitcoms.

Overall, I’m giving the first 12 episodes an 8.5/10.

My biggest hope for the remaining episodes is that the show becomes more confident in its own identity. It doesn’t need to replicate Victorious beat for beat, but it should understand what made the original memorable in the first place: its unapologetic weirdness, ridiculous humour, eccentric characters, and original music.
Hollywood Arts has the potential to be more than a nostalgia trip. I just hope it stops playing it safe and lets itself be as weird as the school it’s named after.

It's not perfect, there's a lot missing, but it was never going to be the show we grew up with. I'm having a good time watching it though, the cast is incredibly talented, I'm enjoying the old references, and new plotlines, is it an amazing show? No! But I love the direction they took with Trina, and they took a different enough direction with the new students. Things have changed a lot since the 2010's, I went to three different high schools in that time and saw nearly the same personalities in each one, so dare I say it's not unrealistic to cast similar but also different roles.

I’ve gotten through a few episodes of the series now and I have to share my thoughts

I do enjoy the new series and think it is a binge worthy show. I like all the characters and it’s nice to jump back into this universe again.

I do think this series is better than Seasons 3-4 of Victorious but still not as good as Seasons 1-2.

I am excited for the second half of season 1!

I'm 7 eps in, and personally I really like the show. Daniella Monet effortlessly steps back into Trina, and she is so good in this new role for Trina. I love that being a teacher is making her a better person, and I love that the kids love her. The new cast is lovable; even when they are trying to be updated versions of the old cast, they are still their own. Emmy, Qwest, and Pepper are my favorites so far.

Robbie, Rex, Sikowitz, and Helen are delightful in the show. The Humor feels like Victorious, which is expected since Jake Farrow wrote it. It's never going to be Victorious, and I think everyone who's mad about it needs to accept that. If you want it to be Victorious, then go watch that show. It's a perfectly fine show that I'm really enjoying, and I hope it lasts past Season 1.

Sorry, y'all, I could only stomach 4 episodes of the show. Anybody who saw all 12, did we get any current status on Andre, Jade, Cat, or Beck? Or at least some mentions?

On the iCarly channel

America only

Ends Saturday

Piper and Jen are the show stealers. Them being frenemies and enjoying being rivals cracks me up. It's not 100% the same, and it's not trying to be, but it's still fun.

Ok, it's NOT Victorious but I am kind of liking the show after watching beyond episode 1. My least favorite things about the show are still Jen Z and Pepper. Jen Z just overacts most of the time and has the delivery of a failed Disney XD show. Pepper is trying to be post-lobotomy Cat but she just simply doesn't have the standard for that is just so high that even Ariana would struggle pulling off a likable ditz again. They should've gone with another archetype for her.

Qwest and Oscar are taking it. Very refreshing secure, vibrant and goofy male relationship that is independent of the female cast!

Loving Trina still.

I judged too early I suppose...

Not SPECTACULAR but it's pretty good.

I feel like if I were to rate it 1-10 I’d give it a 7.5 My least favorite character is Jen Z , to me she was kind of obnoxious. The first few episodes were really good and I enjoyed them but as time went on the episodes got kind of cringey and boring. They also changed Peppers character to make her more ditsy as time went on ( not sure if anyone noticed that) one thing I did like was the episode Nathan directed, I think he definitely watched victorious before directing this episode lol. At first I was agaisnt Robbie and Trina but after watching I don’t really hate it that much. The jokes are actually pretty funny but I just think it reminds me of every revived sitcom such as the Icarly one where the jokes are watered down but in a way where they are kind of cringey. Either way I will be tuning in for the next season

So, I basically started watching Victorious (idk I'm on and off) I'm on s1 mostly and by far I'm liking it sm.

I love Tori the most. I love how she handles Jade bullying. Like the alphabet fight between them was my absolute fav. And also the fake black eye... Jade is really an interesting and complex character second fav after Tori. I'm enjoying their dynamics though ngl.

Hmm...idrc about Cat I kinda find her annoying. But she's cute 😭

So, yeah I'm watching. Any advice?

I don't see a lot of discussion or reviews regarding the soundtrack of the album, so I thought I'd share my thoughts! I tried to make each review for each song concise and straight to the point.

Here to Stay 7/10

This definitely matches the 'girl who overcomes her fears' trope Tori faced in the pilot episode of Victorious. I do wish the song was more dance-pop, but this is a pretty solid theme song for a show, and I really have no complaints about it. Alyssa killed it with this song, honestly.

Recap Song ?/10

Not even a song... should be excluded from the soundtrack tbh.

Everybody Knows It 4/10

This definitely does sound like a 2026 boy-group-esque song, but there's a huge problem with this song for me. Martin's (Oscar) voice does not blend well with the rest of the boys, or maybe this could be a collective thing between the 3, but it sounds messy and all over the place. It feels so empty, unfinished, and boring.

Hold You Up 7.5/10

Hold You Up is more of a contemporary pop record. In this day and age, girl groups are having a massive resurgence--it'd be dumb for Netflix execs to pass this obvious trend up and not implement it in their show. Revolving around the episode where they split up into groups, they clearly take their own twist on girl/boy groups. It's definitely not a terrible song; in fact, I genuinely do think this song has some sort of chance at actually charting. Still in Kids Bop land, though, unfortunately. 7.5/10

Improv Song 4/10

This song is very... confusing? I think the main part I hate is towards the end of the song where Emmy Liu-Wang starts rapping, and her enunciation of to is very odd to my ears. 4/10

Valerie 9/10

After watching part 1 of the series, it's very clear that Alyssa Miles is a star. Her vocals are undeniable, and I do think that at this point in time, we're ready to give the breakout star role to the lead girl, instead of the supporting character (COUGH Victoria & Ariana)... This is easily one of the best, if not the best, songs off this album. It's catchy, and not to mention, her vocal delivery is beautiful! She has this beautiful way of conveying her emotions with her voice, which is so moving to me. It's nice to hear the girls on a track that's actually well-produced and not subject to pure sabotage by the producer of the show, where they fuck with the mixing on several different songs. 9/10

Room for Everyone 8.5/10

Here's my thing with Marin Kamm: he absolutely shines when he gets a chance to go solo. However, in ensemble songs, he throws off the whole mood, vibe, and sonic direction. It's like his tone just doesn't mesh well with the rest of the cast, which is so unfortunate. However, in the show's best interest, they have to limit his involvement in ensembles because it derails the whole thing. Now onto this song, I genuinely do adore this song! Stomp & holler songs are always a hit for me, so when I heard the instrumental for this track, I was so pleased. Though it does sound semi-2012-ish, it's catchy, and it's definitely something you can move to. He really shines with acoustics and solos, so I hope if they ever do a re-release of the soundtrack album with new additions for part 2, they consider that advice. I will say the intro does catch you a bit off guard as there's no smooth transition into the upbeat instrumental, but it's fine. The outro is honestly my fave; it's so beautiful!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun 4/10

The dialogue in this is just... not it for me, but maybe it is for theatre kids/nerds. I'm honestly just not a big fan of already covering such an oversaturated cover song; I wish there were more contemporary renditions, because the older songs require more of a mature/deeper tone. It's clear that they do not want these girls singing in a higher-pitched range, and if they can't come out of that mold, I suggest they refrain from songs that require it.

I Kinda Like It 6/10

I don't even remember hearing this song on the show, honestly. Maybe this is for part 2? Weird enough, but this song actually reminds me of the Shake It Up soundtrack a bit. I like the EDM, but to me this reminds me more of background music for a dance break instead of an actual song to put on a soundtrack album, but it's okay.

Girl Next Door 8/10

I really didn't know Kira Kosarin could sing?? Also, when did she get that ripped? Anyways, this is a nice little ode to retro-synth music. It's something I see charting if they even promote this soundtrack. This is a perfect PG-friendly song, and it's well made!

Know Me Now 5/10

Honestly, not feeling her.. For Robbie's first solo, this is a letdown. But then again, I'm not sure what I exactly expected from him, but nonetheless this is just not it for me.

Clocked 8/10

Despite the name, it's actually not bad? It's actually pretty good.

Got That Dog In Me 2/10

Honestly, this shouldn't even be in the soundtrack.

I Will Survive ?/10

An attempt at a campy rendition of the iconic I Will Survive. Not really feeling the French accent, nor the shouting. It's another one that should be left off this soundtrack album. Can you even consider this a song? Like, it's literally less than 1:50

Last One Standing 6/10

This track had a lot of potential to actually be a song. Unfortunately, it's just another song under 1:50 that's just crammed into this soundtrack album. They sound cohesive on this, and it actually sounds like a decent attempt at a pop song in 2026. It's catchy, but once again the track being so short makes this song fall in the background and gives it no time to shine or grow.

Born For This 3/10

I'm honestly shocked they wasted an opportunity for an amazing ensemble song on this. "It's giving Sunset Boulevard" is pretty much a summary of how terrible the lyricism can be on not only this song, but the album. It's confusing as to how they fumbled this hard while having some of the producers who helped compose Victorious' debut soundtrack album. It sounds empty, unfinished, and filled with mixing issues. Some voices don't mesh well together, but girls like Miles' and Liu-Wang's harmonize beautifully. The contrast is so evident when listening to this song, so much so that it's sort of unbearable to listen to?

The soundtrack sits absolutely nowhere near the lunch table of tween media royalties like HSMTMS3, Victorious, Camp Rock, A.N.T Farm, Hannah Montana, Lemonade Mouth, and so on. I can't even say this is a good attempt at making a cohesive soundtrack, because it doesn't sound like the producers even tried with some of the singles they released before the show's debut on Netflix. I can't help but be one of those people complaining about how the predecessor actually managed to reign victorious (no pun intended) against its copies when it comes to the musical aspect of it, but it's true. They clearly didn't try, and they didn't value the input of younger people to even see if they would resonate with the music. They attempt to mimic Gen Z's colloquial talk, but it fails miserably. I mean, look at this lyric: "it's giving sunset boulevard". It's horrible and tone deaf. Now, that's not to say that there are gems within this cast that will definitely be breakout stars in the next few years, like Emmy Liu Wang & Alyssa Miles, because there definitely are. Those girls have the vocals and acting skills to truly define a next generation, and with the visible absence of monoculture now, and there being no 'new' ex-act popstar on the rise, this is the perfect opportunity for them to build their resume. That is, if Netflix allows the cast to promote this album (despite it being borderline terrible). Between Part 1 & Part 2, there needs to be some sort of tour going on for their music, some sort of chance for tweens and adolescents to establish the link between the music and the stars of the show. This period is especially rough for them, with all the comparisons and mixed critic reviews essentially calling the show an "un-original copy of Victorious". Point being, there need to be several new implementations for the re-release of this album: a new producer, preferably a younger person with an adequate understanding of the younger landscape of music now. Secondly, there has to be a criteria or metric made for creating the soundtrack, where no songs less than 2 minutes can be placed into the tracklist. There can be anomalies, but the point is that there shouldn't be several songs less than 2 minutes, because at that point, it becomes filler and stream-bait rather than a song. There's no reason to release a song so short; if it is that short, it needs to be exclusive to be played within the show, not a track to play on the album.

It’s still unbelievable that we are getting a Victorious spin-off series Hollywood Arts. I am probably one of the few people excited for the series.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ded3tbIlIiS/?obrf=aHZ6OHh4cHprMWJ3

I'm almost finished watching Hollywood arts but i had to take a break to get this out bc to be honest I'm not really liking it.

The tone of the show itself feels way younger than Victorious which felt pretty aimed at teens.

Then we have Trina and Emmy both kinda being the leads of the show but we haven't really learned anything about Emmy's personal life yet other than "she's stuck in her brother's shadow", haven't seen her house or her parents. For her to be the main character it doesn't really feel like it aside from her big spotlight in episode.

Pepper i find more annoying than funny and Gen is just Jade but not goth and is more of a try hard person. I'm also not a fan of them constantly fighting over Oscar it's just not funny and feels dated itself something the og show didn't even have.

I know everyone liked beck in the og show but it feels weird when it's also characters in this friendgroup doing the thirsting .

I'd say Quest is the best new character.

Then they bring back Robbie for no other reason other than to nostalgia bait so this was for OG fans but they use this to retcon and rewrite history so it makes me question why was it even the point.

I'm not mad Cat and Robbie aren't together i was never a fan of that ship but I don't like how brushed off their relationship was. Robbie going "everyone thought i liked cat but actually" felt like they were trying to gaslight me.

Robbie was obviously in love with cat (even came back in sam & cat for her) but was also a little weirdo who wanted attention from any pretty girl. I don't like how they tried to force the narrative he's also had actual feelings for Trina. Idk It was just weird to me honestly i wouldn't have a problem with him and trina if they just simply had Robbie refer to Cat as his ex girlfriend instead of pretending he didn't like her that much.

The show also feels so dated which isn't a great thing bc why are we making 6/7 jokes?? I hate when shows set themselves in a specific time bc it just comes across as cringe especially reboots i dont know why they feel the need to write like this when the og show never even dated itself like this. The slap would've been still fine to have and be relevant bc people still use twitter but they wanted to do a tiktok spoof for some reason?

I hope if more OG character's come back they've found success too and didn't end up like Robbie, Tori isn't the only one who deserved to be famous. I also hope they're all still friends since Robbie is implied to not really talk to them anymore.

At least everyone in this new show can sing. I will give them that.

I am so pissed about Robbie's return episode. Literally the Cabbie romance had no closure, and they retcon the fact Robbie stopped liking Trina. And he said that students thought he had a crush on Cat? And in the end while he doesn't end up with Trina, and gets with another girl, that pissed me off, the ending should have be Robbie calling a number, and we hear Cat's giggle. So yea, anyone pissed Cabbie didn't get any closure?

Didnt expect their dynamic to be my favorite from the show. Theres not one scene theyre in where im not laughing. (Lowkey shipping them)

First episode was a bit off but the more the show goes on the funnier their chemistry becomes.

Theyre all growing on me except the jade clone (her over acting is throwing me off) and the red headed lead girl (feels like shes just there to build up trina).